Modeling of Vocational Excellence: An International Perspective

This [presentation] provides an overview of the findings from a Skills Finland sponsored project called `Modeling of Vocational Excellence¿ (MoVE) and an Australian application and adaptation of this research: `MoVE Australia¿. The Finnish MoVE research project, conducted by the Research Centre for Vocational Education at the University of Tampere, Finland explored WorldSkills as a site for the development of expertise and pursuit of excellence; asking about the abilities and attributes of competitors, and the factors which interested them in their chosen skill area. The Australian project administered the Finnish MoVE survey to the Australian international WorldSkills team which will compete in London in October 2011 and introduced a second survey about competitor experience, designed to give voice to the young people involved in WorldSkills. This survey was administered to competitors, trainers and judges participating in the WSA National Competition held in Brisbane in May 2010, and later to employers and families. The Australian extension of the Finnish research has generated a rich source of experiential data, providing fresh insights into career choice and training. The findings of the research offer opportunities for reviewing elements of trade training and raise questions about the role of a competitive community of practice in quality skill formation and about the current level of research on this aspect of Australia VET practice.